Bedclothes-holder.



J. CAMPBELL BEDGLOTHES HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1910.

972,159. Patented Oct. 11,1910.

JOHN CAMPBELL, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEDCLOTHES-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Application filed January 22, 1910. Serial No. 539,564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bedclothes- Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bed construction and with regard to the more specific features thereof to a device or attachment for beds adapted to hold the covers in place.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a practical and efiicient device of the above character that will be simple in construction and cheap to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above nature that may be easily applied to beds of difierent sizes or if desired may be made as a part of the bed.

Another object is to provide a device of the above nature that will not tear the bed covers yet permit a free movement of the occupant of the bed.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 represents a side view of an ordinary metal bed with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Figs. 3, a and 5 are detail views of various parts.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to these drawings in detail 1 and 2 represent the usual side bars of a metal bed having legs 3 and 4 at opposite ends thereof. Extending between these legs parallel to the side bars of the bed is a movable bar 5 engaged at each end thereof by pins 6 adapted to pass through guiding holes in clamping members 7 secured to legs 3 and 4 on the same side of the bed. To the lower end of each pin 6 is secured a spring 8, Fig. 4, connected at its opposite end to the lower part of the legs of the bed as by means of a similar pin 9, passing through a clamping member 10 similar in shape to the member 7. The clamping members 7 and 10 are preferably of spring metal shaped at one end to engage the leg of the bed and provided with a bolt 11 whereby the same may be securely held in place.

A plurality of spring clips or clothes engaging fingers 12, such as shown in detail in Fig. 5 are provided for fastening the bed covers to one of the side bars of the bed on one side thereof and the movable bar 5 011 the other as illustrated in Fig. 2. These spring clips may be of any desired shape but that style having wide jaws adapted to hold the covers about the bar to which they are attached is believed to be more advantageous.

As above stated the device as herein illustrated and described is adapted to be at tached to any form of bed, although it is to be understood that the clamps 7 and 10 or equivalent members may be made integrally with the legs of the bed during its manufacture. Also if desired, the side-bar 5 may be made with a telescopic joint as at 13 so that it may be readily applied to beds of different sizes.

The operation and manner of use is substantially as follows: After the bed is made up, one or more of the upper covers are secured by means of the clips 12 to one of the fixed side bars of the bed on one side thereof, and after, the occupant has retired the covers are drawn over the occupant, secured to the movable bar at a plurality of points on the opposite side in a similar manner. In this manner the device presents certain features of adjustability as the covers may be drawn to conform to the size of the person in bed. If any strain is then exerted on the bed covers, as for example, should the child slip down into the bed and start to smother, the rod 5 to which the covers are secured will yield upwardly, thereby affording a breathing space or allowing the occupant to freely change position, after which the covers will be drawn back into place by the tension of the spring. Tearing of the bed covers is, in this manner avoided as might otherwise occur, as when pins and other rigid fastening means are used.

It is thus seen that this invention provides for a simple and efiicient device adapted to prevent the occupant from falling out of bed or kicking off the covers and yet permits considerable freedom of motion.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of V the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a bedstead having legs at 1 each end, a vertically movable bar mounted on saidbedstead, means for clamping the bed-covers to said bar, and spring means normally holding said bar in the lowermost position.

2. In a device of the character described,

in combination, a bed having astationary bar at each side and legs, clamps on said legs at one side of the bed, a bar movable relatively to said clamps, springs secured to said bar adapted to exert a downward ten- 'sion thereon, and separate means for securing the bed-covers to one of said stationary side bars at one side ofthe bed and to said movable bar at the other.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a bed having side bars and legs, a clamp on each leg at one side of said bed having a hole therein, a bar extending between said legs, pins on said bar passing through the holes, springs adapted to exert a downward tension on said bar, and separate means for securing the bed-covers to one of said side bars at one side of the bed and to said movable bar at the other.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a bedstead comprising side bars and having legs at each end, a movable bar, means mounting said movable bar upon said bedstead adjacent one of said side bars and adapted to permit up and down movement thereof and guide the same in a path in which it is constantly substantially parallel to the adjacent side bar, a plurality of relatively spaced devices for clamping the bed covers to said movable bar, and spring means normally holding said bar in the lowermost position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN CAMPBELL. lVitnesses 2 EDWARD M. \VIN'rERs, M. B. ODoNNnLL. 

